‘Light motif’; a short thematic musical passage representing a character or situation in a musical drama. Wagner used this tool often in his operas: the fire motive in The Valkyries, and the glance motive in Tristan and Isolde, for example.

Libretto

The sung text of an opera

Lilian Baylis

Lilian Baylis established the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company which became the English National Opera in 1974. She was passionate about providing audiences with the best theatre and opera at affordable prices. A belief that remains today at the heart of ENO.

An avant-garde style of music characterised by the repetition of very short phrases which change gradually, producing a hypnotic effect. Glass’s Akhnaten from our 2015/16 season is an excellent example of this.

Musical Theatre

A genre or drama in which singing and dancing play an essential part. The most significant difference between musical theatre and opera is that operas are generally entirely sung, while musicals combine various amounts of spoken dialogue with song. The influence of opera on the musical should never be underestimated, however.

A dramatic work in one or more acts, set to music for singers and instrumentalists

Operetta

A short opera, usually on a light or humorous theme and typically having spoken dialogue. Notable composers of operettas include Offenbach, Johann Strauss, Franz Lehar and Gilbert and Sullivan.

Oratorio

A musical composition for chorus, orchestra and soloists whose text is usually religious, serious or philosophical. Generally not staged, oratorio was Handel’s domain in England when opera fell out of favour. Examples of oratorios are Haydn’s The Creation and Handel’s Messiah.

Orchestra

A group of instrumentalists who accompany singers in an opera.

Ornamentation

Decorative notes that enhance a melodic line, often when it is repeated.

Overture

An orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera which often references musical ideas that the audience will hear throughout the opera.

The part of a theatre where the orchestra plays, typically in front of the stage and on a lower level

Prelude

An introductory piece of music, most commonly an orchestral opening to an act of an opera

Prima Donna

‘First lady’; the female lead in an opera cast. In Verdi’s time, roles were differentiated in order of dramatic and vocal importance: prima, seconda, terza, etc. Recently, however, the term has come to describe the personality of the singer.

Producer

A person responsible for the financial and managerial aspects of the making of an opera. Works with the Director to bring their vision to life.

“truth”; A theatrical style in the late 1800s that depicted ordinary, everyday characters in melodramatic situations. Puccini’s Il Trittico, a triptych, includes the ‘verismo’ melodramas Il tabarro (The Cloak) and Suor Angelica.

Vibrato

A rapid, slight variation in pitch in singing or playing some musical instruments, producing a stronger or richer tone

A Spanish popular musical theatrical presentation blending dialogue and music in skits and dramas ranging from one to three acts that satirize aspects of daily life. Early zarzuelas were performed in the Palacio de la Zarzuela in Madrid – so named because it was surrounded by a field of brambles (‘zarza’ is Spanish for bramble)